Need help with HTTP 404 File Not Found

Hello, I am running IIS 6.0 on WK2003, FYI. There is a web server (I'll call it WS), and this web server contains 3 virtual directories, which are its subdirectories (let's call each virtual directory A, B, and C, respectively). I reference an html file from the IE on A and it works fine. I reference an html file from IE on B and it works fine. However, when a reference an html file that is on the C virtual directory, it craps out and reports a 404 File Not Found error (specifically, 404.0).

I am having great difficulty with a 404 File Not Found error. The file and path(s) exist. I have verified that the actual windows directories and files are present and have permissions set accordingly. I have verified that the file paths in the IIS management console for this particular web server point correctly. I checked the IIS log files and it does show a HTTP 404.0 error, meaning it is a file not found error, for sure. And in the same log file, the windows errors show are 2 and 3, meaning it's also saying the file and path cannot be found. Again, the files and directories do exist and the paths are correct.

I checked the permissions for NTFS and the Web server, to make sure they match for this virtual directory and they do. Now all the virtual directories have permissions (on the web server) of read only, log visits, and execute scripts only. There are no Applications running in the Application Settings section for the virtual directories. IIRC, that would mean ISAPI and CGI settings are irrelevant and have no affect on this issue. On the web server, WS, there is an application in the application settings, however. The Web Service Extensions have Active Server Pages, Check Access, All Unknown CGI Extensions, and All Unknown ISAPI Extensions Allowed. The rest is prohibited.

For permissions, I have it checked to allow for anonymous users. I also have Enable Parent Paths checked for the web server, WS, itself. What else can I do? Any suggestions? I have restarted the web server multiple times to no avail. Thank you.

As an update, nothing happened. Hasn't been fixed. But I notice if i enable directory browsing for Virtual Directory C, I can browse this directory on the IE browser. I created a simple html file that had just "testing" inside and put it inside the directory. Ex. myserver.com/C/test.html. I got a file not found HTTP 404 error again. However, I renamed the file test.asp, clicked on it in the directory tree inside the the IE browser, and it opened up fine. So, what does that mean? Is the directory browsing independent of all of this? Or, is there something to it that I can browse and open up an asp file but not the html file in IE? Thank you.

Update: I took off directory browsing and tried the file again, test.asp. The IE browser can access the file just fine. But if I change it to test dot html, it gives the familiar HTTP 404 File Not Found error. What the heck is going on??? This is very troubling and I just don't understand why ASP file works, but HTML file does not. It makes no sense.

The URL is an IP address. So, it looks like IP_Address.com/C/test.html.

Okay, well I did some more digging. First of all, the host is in the form of an IP, not a name. So, there is no DNS issues or anything of that sort that can be accounted for. What I did was create a virtual directory called C2 that had the exact same physical directory mappings and other settings and properties as the C virtual directory. I mean, there is nothing different about the two, other than the name of the virtual directory. When I open up IE and goto C2/test.html, it works. But with C/test.html, I get the 404 error. Why? I have no idea. I tried deleting the C virtual directory and recreating it and nothing. Since this is an official microsoft forum, I'm hoping there is some guru here that can point to some registry settings that may be affecting it. I mean, should a reinstall of the IIS be the next step?